Reuse Last Years Sacrificial Anode?

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Paul Anthony

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Mar 16, 2013
1
Beneteau 36 Lake Ontario
I would like to know if I could sand & polish last years anodes and reuse them this season?

They were hardly pitted and it would seem a waste to toss them out.

And yes I am a cheapskate
 
zeehag

zeehag

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Mar 26, 2009
3,198
1976 formosa 41 yankee clipper santa barbara. ca.(not there)
i use em til they fall off, then replace em. happy sails.
 
Sailvayu

Sailvayu

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Jul 25, 2007
320
-Irwin -Citation 40 Wilmington, NC
The protection and effectiveness is related to the surface area exposed. generally it is best to replace when about 50% wasted. On some boat they can use them over and over and on others they do not make the season. If yours are still more than 50% then use then no point in wasting and it will leave you some beer money! :)

Capt. Wayne Canning, AMS
www.projectboatzen.com
 
Charles Erwin

Charles Erwin

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Jan 30, 2012
1,140
Nor'Sea 27 "Kiwanda" Portland/ Anacortes
That is correct. Surface area is an important part of the protection system. However, surface area is pretty irrelevant if the "zinc" (make that "zinc anode") is not eroding fast enough to keep its surface uniform gray thus clean and active. Once the anode surface gets that whitish color zinc anodes stop working. When the zinc quits working (sacrificing) the more expensive metals start to sacrifice.

The familiar notion to replace "at 50% anode loss" is not simply a replacement rule - it is also a goal you try to achieve. You very much want an anode to sacrifice at this rate (about 50% per year) thus to assure the rest of the metals in the group are being protected.

The right balance - in your case - is probably to switch to aluminum or magnesium anode material because zinc material cannot protect your valuable metals as well in a fresh water case.

Charles
 
Gunni

Gunni

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Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
Take it off and make sure it has a clean metal surface to conduct to. Burnish the mating surface of the zinc also. I'm not a sweetwater sailor, but would be concerned my zinc was not doing it's sacrificial duty. Think you may want a magnesium "zinc"...or is it aluminum?

You are protecting your prop. Add that to the ledgersheet calcs :)
 
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Steve Dion

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Dec 2, 1999
15,184
Hunter Vision-36 Rio Vista, CA.
Gunni said:
Take it off and make sure it has a clean metal surface to conduct to. Burnish the mating surface of the zinc also. I'm not a sweetwater sailor, but would be concerned my zinc was not doing it's sacrificial duty. Think you may want a magnesium "zinc"...or is it aluminum?

You are protecting your prop. Add that to the ledgersheet calcs :)
Click to expand
Actually zincis not recommended for fresh water. Magnesium is what should used.
 
fstbttms

fstbttms

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Feb 26, 2011
1,440
Achilles SD-130 Alameda, CA
Jeezus, do you really care so little for your boat that you'd run the risk of using depleted anodes? What do they cost? Five bucks apiece?


BTW-

 
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